Podcasts about Retention

The next generation of financial advisors and leaders are not asking for a job, they're asking for a future. Ray Sclafani explores why career pathing has evolved from a nice-to-have benefit into the most critical retention lever advisory firms have. Drawing on Deloitte's 2025 research showing only 6% of Gen Z and Millennials prioritize reaching a leadership position, Ray unpacks what ambition actually looks like today: growth, meaning, money, well-being, and a thoughtful pace of development.For advisory firm owners and leaders, the implications are direct. A firm with no clear development path doesn't stand still, it falls behind. This episode provides a five-part framework for building career pathways that work. Ray then shares a practical starting point: a single career conversation in the next 60 to 90 days that changes how your people feel about their future with your firm.The firms that provide honest visibility of a future worth building will retain more top talent, develop better leaders, and build more durable businesses.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODEWhy the next generation defines ambition differently and what that means for retention strategyHow to define roles with clarity and purpose so every position has a visible pathwayThe single biggest mistake firms make when building career paths and how to avoid itWhy addressing AI's role impact directly is now a core part of career developmentHow to eliminate ambiguity around partnership so people stop guessing what it meansTHE FIVE-PART CAREER PATHING FRAMEWORKDefine the Roles. Establish clear purpose, expectations, and required skills for each position. Map progression pathways for advisors (from client service associate to enterprise leader), operations (specialist to enterprise operator), and leadership (people manager to executive leader).Define the Progression. Specify what it takes to move from one role to the next: technical skills, client relationship management, leadership capabilities, business development expectations, decision rights, and cultural behaviors. Specificity builds trust.Connect to Actual Development. Attach real development objectives to each progression step. Identify specific competencies that need improvement, not vague hopes. The manager's job is connecting today's work to tomorrow's opportunity.Address AI's Impact. Clarify which skills become more valuable (empathy, judgment, planning, decision making, communication, relationship leadership) and commit to training people to use AI responsibly. Don't let people wonder alone.Make Ownership Expectations Clear. Define passages to partnership, distinguish between producing and nonproducing partners, clarify income versus equity partnership, and spell out what business development, client retention, leadership, and enterprise thinking mean for ownership.REFLECTION QUESTIONS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAMCan every high potential employee at your firm see a future worth working toward?Where are career paths clearly defined, and where are they implied but not yet documented?Which roles will AI reshape first? And how are you preparing your team for that shift?Who needs a development conversation before they start taking calls from another firm?RESOURCES MENTIONEDDeloitte 2025 Gen Z and Millennial SurveySchwab 2025 Career Pathing ResearchCFP Board Career Pathway ResourcesClientWise Business Builders Academy™ClientWise Executive Coaching and Team DevelopmentBuilding the Billion Dollar Business is hosted by Ray Sclafani, founder and CEO of ClientWise, the financial services industry's leading executive coaching and team development firm for elite advisors and wealth management teams.Find Ray and the ClientWise Team on the ClientWise website or LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeBuilding The Billion Dollar Business

In this episode of Coach's Corner, Caitlin Embree interviews Paul Lowry, co-founder of Dental Menu, to solve one of the biggest bottlenecks in dental practice management: failing in-house membership plans. While dropping insurance is a common goal, data shows that unmanaged cash-pay patients only have a 12% retention rate over five years, compared to 64% for insured patients.To achieve sustainable dental practice growth, practice owners must treat their membership programs like true subscriptions (e.g., Netflix or Amazon Prime) rather than one-off "Groupon" discount bundles that cause renewal gaps. Poorly administered plans not only create massive administrative headaches but also artificially lower your practice valuation by forcing you to zero out production or write off massive adjustments.Here is your blueprint for upgrading your dental practice management through a properly structured membership plan:Stop the "Discount" Mindset: Shift from selling a bundled package of cleanings to an auto-renewing subscription model to prevent patients from lapsing for months at a time.Fix Your Accounting: Stop adjusting membership preventative care to $0, as it destroys your KPIs. Dental Menu uses a separate bank account to process monthly fees and generate internal EOBs so production flawlessly matches collections.Protect Provider Pay: Proper dental practice management requires accurate ledgers so associate dentists and hygienists receive their correct collection-based bonuses when treating membership patients.Incentivize Your Team: Drive dental practice profitability by offering your front office staff bonuses (e.g., $25 per sign-up) to consistently present the membership plan to cash-pay patients.Ready to take the next step in your dental practice journey? Visit https://sharedpractices.com to learn more about our Buyer Representation and Coaching services, designed to help dentists buy, grow, and optimize profitable practices. You can also use our Free Look to evaluate dental practice opportunities with real data before making a decision. For daily Dental Moneyball insights, strategy tips, and updates, follow us across our social channels.

Donors want to know that their generosity is making a real difference. Yet many gifts can feel like they disappear into a “black box,” leaving supporters unsure where their donations went or whom they helped. In this episode, Rob Harter speaks with Antonis Politis, CEO and co-founder of Givelink, and Panos Kokmotos, COO and co-founder of Givelink, about how greater transparency can strengthen donor trust, improve the giving experience, and increase donor retention. Givelink enables donors to purchase products that nonprofits currently need, track those items through delivery, and receive photos, videos, and personalized stories showing their impact. Antonis and Panos explain why nonprofits should make giving more tangible and human, how AI can personalize donor communications without replacing authentic connection, and why Givelink's transparency model has led donors to give approximately 60% more annually. Key Topics Include: Why uncertainty about where donations go can weaken donor trust and retention How Givelink connects donors with the specific products nonprofits currently need Why nonprofits should be able to track charitable impact as easily as consumers track a package How photos, videos, and personalized impact stories make giving more tangible Why Givelink reports that donors give approximately 60% more annually through its platform How nonprofits can use AI to personalize donor communications while preserving authentic human connection How Givelink provides its in-kind donation platform to nonprofits at no cost Mentioned in This Episode: Learn more about Givelink and its free in-kind donation platform for nonprofits: Givelink Explore Givelink's resources for nonprofit organizations: Givelink for Nonprofits Research nonprofit accountability and transparency: Charity Navigator This Episode is Sponsored By: Donorbox Links to Resources: Interested in Leadership and Life Coaching? Visit Rob's website: RobHarter.com Find us on YouTube: Nonprofit Leadership Podcast YouTube Channel Suggestions for the show? Email us at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com Request a sample coaching session: Email Rob at rob@robharter.com Subscribe and ShareListen and subscribe to the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or Amazon. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with other nonprofit leaders!

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Lisa Greenhill, Chief Organizational Health Officer for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). This episode of Have You Herd is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Bovikalk. Is your fresh cow calcium supplement protecting dairy cows' full potential? BOVIKALC® bolus contains the two critical forms of calcium for immediate and lasting performance with no filler ingredients. For more than 20 years, BOVIKALC has consistently delivered what fresh cows need—right when they need it most. Talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim representative to see why BOVIKALC boluses are designed for milking greatness. Find out more information about BOVIKALC boluses at this link.  Enrollment at veterinary schools has doubled over the last 20 years and currently there are approximately 17,000 veterinary students in U.S. schools and another 3000-4000 U.S. students in foreign schools. Demographics of students has changes during that time period as well with females comprising 86% of students and 30% of students are non-white. Students now fill out a common application and each student applies to 5-6 schools. The national applicant:seat ratio is currently 2.4 but each institution applicant:seat ratio varies. Greenhill discusses the gender disparity in veterinary schools and explains that the issues of fewer men in veterinary schools is due to fewer men obtaining a bachelor's degree. Only 37% of men in the U.S. complete a bachelor's degree compared to nearly half of women. Men also take longer to complete the degree compared to women.  Students from rural communities comprise about 20% of veterinary students. AABP membership data indicate that 70% of our members grew up in rural communities. Nationally, 23% of adults in rural communities have a bachelor's degree or higher. Greenhill discusses some of the challenges and barriers for students in rural communities to seek out a veterinary education including changes to loan regulations and Pell Grants, lack of educational opportunities, and evaluation of rural mixed animal versus urban companion animal experiences.  Find AABP survey information under the Member Resources page of the AABP website at this link.   

The Future of Recruiting: Kim Richardson on the National Recruiting & Retention Symposium Join us on The Lead Pedal Podcast as we sit down with industry expert Kim Richardson to pull back the curtain on the National Recruiting and Retention Symposium. We discuss the history of this premier event, why it was created to support transportation HR professionals, and where the symposium is heading as it continues to shape the future of workforce strategy in the trucking industry. Whether you are a fleet manager, recruiter, or industry leader, this episode offers vital insights into building people-first organizations. Visit Transrep Inc Learn more about the National Recruiting & Retention Symposium by Transrep Inc: www.transrep.ca   Visit The Lead Pedal Podcast on YouTube Want to see video footage of the episode or event? Click the link below to visit our YouTube Page and while you're there why not subscribe? Enjoy! LEAD PEDAL PODCAST ON YOUTUBE ************************************************************** Work for a Company With a Great Culture-Rosedale Transport This episode is sponsored by Rosedale Transport offering career opportunities for truck drivers with their large network. You can learn more at www.rosedalegroup.com   Keep Your Workplace Safe With DriverCheck DriverCheck is a leader in drug and alcohol, cognitive, and workplace testing helping employers have a safe workplace for their staff. Learn how DriverCheck can help you be safe at www.drivercheck.ca   Improve the Compliance of Your Fleet With Compliance Mentorz Compliance Mentorz, a leading commercial safety consulting company, is proud to serve clients nationwide across Canada. But our commitment to safety and compliance doesn't stop at borders – we're excited to extend our support to clients throughout North America. Call 905-486-1666x215 or Learn more at www.compliancementorz.com                         About the Podcast The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers helps truck drivers improve their truck driving careers, trucking businesses as owner operators, CDL skills, find trucking jobs, and offer trucking career tips. Learn about the trucking benefits and salaries as a professional truck driver through interviews and tips related to the North American Trucking Industry. The Lead Pedal Podcast is a Canadian based trucking podcast focused on trucking in Ontario, Canada. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST- The show is available at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com , Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and other popular podcast platforms. Thanks for listening! The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers talks all things trucking for people in the transportation industry helping them improve their business and careers. Interviews with industry professionals and truck drivers, trucking equipment information, event coverage, and other features on the industry are meant to be helpful for truck drivers and those in transportation. The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers has main episodes released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with bonus material on other days. You can learn more about the host and show on our website and make sure to SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favourite podcast platform. www.theleadpedalpodcast.com  What does The Lead Pedal Podcast mean? The Lead (pronounced - Led) stands for acceleration or fast-track of your career or business. It is a play on words and we certainly are not here promoting speeding in the industry. We are hoping this information will help you become a professional driver faster than if you didn't know about many of these topics. Are you enjoying the show? If so we would appreciate you leaving us a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. www.theleadpedalpodcast.com  Join The Lead Pedal Fan Club where are loyal fans get first chance at specials, discounts on merchandise and much more.The club is free to join and you can learn more at www.theleadpedalfanclub.com  LISTEN TO LEAD PEDAL RADIO with music and entertainment with a trucking theme at www.LeadPedalRadio.com       

Drawing on personal experience, research and the Greater Than 3 mentor programme, Robert Harris explores why men remain underrepresented in early childhood. He considers the impact of gender diversity on children, the stigma and gatekeeping men can face, and how mentorship, representation and more inclusive pathways could help create lasting change across the profession.   Read the article here: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/moving-beyond-3-percent-recruiting-more-men-into-early-years/   This episode is in partnership with Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs.   Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs advocate for greater male participation in education and caregiving roles, offering support and guidance to enhance gender inclusion in nurseries and schools.   To find out more visit: https://malechildcareandteachingjobs.co.uk/   Listen to more: If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like to hear more at https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/articles/men-in-early-childhood/   Get in touch and share your voice: Do you have thoughts, questions or feedback? Get in touch here! – https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/contact/   Episode break down: 00:00 – Introduction to Dan Berman and Robert Harris 01:24 – The benefits of greater male presence in early childhood 03:54 – Male role models, play and challenging gender norms 07:30 – The three per cent figure and barriers within infant care 10:05 – Introducing the Greater Than Three mentor programme 15:06 – Creating intentional pathways into the profession 16:51 – DC Men in ECE and the importance of collective advocacy 20:05 – Racial and cultural representation within the workforce 23:22 – Being a Black male educator: visibility, scrutiny and advocacy 25:07 – Stigma surrounding sexuality and safeguarding 29:10 – Challenging bias in recruitment and hiring 30:18 – Retention, judgement and low pay 31:32 – Children need to see what they can become 32:32 – Building stronger foundations for representation and advocacy 32:55 – Further reading and future conversations 33:41 – Closing reflections   For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Welcome to the sixth edition of The Bye Round’s Fan Roundtable! This episode Jimmy is joined by Eels fan Vic to discuss the Eels season so far and the acquisition of Jarome Luai. Broncos fans Isaac is here to chat where it has all gone wrong for his club in 2026. And finally Lachie opens up on the Tigers rollercoaster season on and off field! JOIN OUR PATREON FOR JUST $5 PER MONTH: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheByeRoundPodcast Enquire About Our Studio: https://thebyeround.com/pages/contact Email: thebyeround@gmail.com Ladbrokes: https://www.ladbrokes.com.au/ Hyundai: https://www.hyundai.com/au/ Follow The Bye Round On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebyeround/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebyeround?lang=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebyeround 0:00 England Out Of World Cup 1:34 Tigers Perspective On Luai 5:50 Eels Perspective On Luai 15:00 Tigers Losing Galvin & Luai 18:12 Broncos Woes In 2026 22:49 Impact Of Payne Haas Leaving Broncos 30:25 Culture At The Broncos 33:15 Michael Maguire’s Future 36:41 Eels Handling Of Lomax Situation 39:55 MItch Moses Injury Concerns 43:02 Parra’s Junior System 49:35 Parramatta Recruitment & Retention 53:29 Is Benji Still The Right Man For Tigers? 58:55 Fixing The Bunker 1:04:53 Should Content Creators Get More Access?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Madsen shares how he went from NFL player to building a multi-million-dollar fitness business by leveraging bold niche marketing, paid acquisition, operational excellence, and a faith-driven shift toward purpose, profitability, and long-term impact.⁣⁣Connect with John - ⁣https://www.instagram.com/suprahuman_john/?hl=en⁣https://suprahuman.com/⁣⁣__________⁣If you'd like my team to run your marketing & sales department to scale your business apply here https://www.pinedapartners.com⁣⁣Join our private mastermind for elite business leaders who golf. https://www.mastermind19.com⁣⁣Want to be featured on the Wealthy Way Podcast? Apply here https://www.wealthyway.com⁣⁣If you want to start your real estate investing business, we'll give you 1:1 coaching, seller leads, software, & everything you need. https://www.wealthyinvestor.com⁣⁣Tired of paying so much in taxes every year? We'll give you strategy, tax prep, and accounting all in one place. https://www.taylor-tax.com⁣⁣Join free Bible studies and workshops for Christian business leaders. https://www.tentmakers.us⁣__________⁣⁣Chapters:⁣00:00 - First Ad to First Signup⁣00:39 - Polarizing Messaging⁣04:06 - NFL Journey⁣15:02 - NFL Training Lessons⁣18:49 - Gym Ownership & Online Pivot⁣30:02 - The First Million⁣36:13 - Paid Ads vs Organic Growth⁣45:04 - Marketing to High Earners⁣48:01 - High-Ticket Sales & Compliance⁣50:49 - Peptides, HRT & Business Goals⁣1:00:07 - Profitable Growth with Affiliates⁣1:07:35 - Community & Retention⁣1:15:08 - Training & Performance Evolution⁣1:15:54 - Business Struggles & Faith⁣1:23:39 - Humility & Renewed Purpose⁣1:30:08 - Ambition, Faith & Community⁣1:36:01 - Real Estate, Social Media & Identity

Ben Kinney, joined by Chad Hyams and Bob Stewart, delves into effective recruitment strategies and building successful teams. The discussion highlights the importance of always being open to talent and employing the Goal, Value, Plan framework in conversations. The episode underscores essential skills like communication, attention to detail, and building rapport, coupled with a focus on confidence. Kinney emphasizes the importance of listening, asking meaningful questions, and creating a supportive environment for potential recruits, driving home that these skills are vital for any thriving business. ---------- Connect with the hosts: •    Ben Kinney: https://www.BenKinney.com/ •    Bob Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/activebob •    Chad Hyams: https://ChadHyams.com/ •    Book one of our co-hosts for your next event: https://WinMakeGive.com/speakers/   More ways to connect: •    Join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/winmakegive •     Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://WinMakeGive.com/sign-up •     Explore the Win Make Give Podcast Network: https://WinMakeGive.com/   Part of the Win Make Give Podcast Network Chapters 00:00 Finding Talent Requires Constant Search and Skillful Integration 01:44 Discovering Talent in Everyday Encounters 02:39 The Long Game of Investing in Talent and Relationships 04:45 Effective Recruitment Strategies and Direct Communication Techniques 07:19 The Art of Asking the Right Questions in Business 09:54 Goal, Value, Plan: Framework for Effective Recruitment Conversations 13:22 Goal Value Plan: A Framework for Recruitment and Retention 19:00 Mastering Interview Skills Through Questions and Relationship Building 22:22 Mastering Rapport Through Empathy and Body Language 27:27 The Power of Truth and Body Language in Interviews 28:19 Building Confidence and Control in Recruitment Conversations 30:55 Recruiting Friends to Join and Share the Podcast

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Rebekah Brown Olson didn't plan to lead a state CPA society. A single leadership assessment during a firm training session reframed how she saw her own strengths, and thirteen years later she's the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs, connecting firm leaders across the profession every day. In this conversation, Brannon Poe talks with Rebekah about what's really driving change in accounting right now, and why she believes community, not information, is what separates firms that thrive from firms that struggle.Rebekah shares an encouraging read on the student pipeline, pointing to strong turnout and impressive second-career candidates at a recent University of Maryland accounting graduation event. She also walks through her theory on where private equity is headed: a barbell shaped profession, with large firms formed through consolidation on one end and a new wave of small, independent firms on the other, as CPAs who leave newly acquired environments choose to build something of their own.For firm owners thinking about their own exit, Rebekah's advice centers on two habits: treating strategy as something to revisit constantly rather than a plan that sits on a shelf, and involving the people around you early, since real alignment comes from letting your team weigh in on where the firm is headed.The Conversation Covers:How a leadership assessment redirected Rebekah's entire career pathWhy community may be the biggest differentiator for CPA firms over the next decadeHow private equity could reshape the profession into a barbell-shaped structureWhy small firms are positioned to specialize and move faster than larger competitorsHow involving your team early creates real strategic alignment ahead of a transitionWhy choosing the right private equity partner matters more than the deal itselfRebekah closes with a story from her college years at Ohio State, working as a football field manager during a live scrimmage, that ties back to the same theme running through the whole conversation: what it looks like when a community shows up for someone.This Episode Is For:Firm owners curious about how community and connection shape long-term successLeaders ready to think through a 5 to 10 year exit and succession planPractitioners wondering how private equity might change hiring, retention, and cultureAnyone interested in how small firms can compete through specialization and speedBook Recommendation:The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It by Dr. Kelly McGonigal Amazon linkTimestamps:00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome 00:14 - Introducing Rebekah Brown Olson, CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs 00:57 - How a quarter-life crisis and a leadership assessment changed Rebekah's career path 01:41 - From CPA firm senior to curriculum developer at the Maryland Association of CPAs 03:12 - Working part time, then full time, then becoming CEO three years ago 04:02 - What Brannon and Rebekah share: burning out of public practice and finding a better fit 04:45 - What Rebekah gets to do now: advocate for the profession and connect people across it 05:06 - The big picture view: what the Maryland Association of CPAs CEO is seeing right now 05:31 - Why getting good at change is the most important capability for any accounting firm 06:00 - Why community is the competitive advantage when complexity and change accelerate 06:34 - Why you can't know everything but you can know a lot of people 07:19 - Recruiting new students: are the numbers moving and what kind of students are coming in 08:15 - Why the pipeline alarm is starting to work and what recent graduation events are showing 08:40 - Accounting as a stable major during economic uncertainty 09:07 - What the new wave of accounting students looks like: different backgrounds, strong leaders 09:30 - Retention: are people staying in the profession better than they used to? 10:01 - The historical reality of planned attrition in CPA firm hiring 10:45 - The move from public to private still happens but may be slowing 11:10 - Brannon's theory on PE-driven salary increases and the poaching risk that comes with it 11:37 - Why starting salaries in accounting need to keep rising to compete for talent 12:00 - How private equity is creating a barbell-shaped profession 12:40 - What the disappearance of the midsize CPA firm looks like and why it matters 13:29 - How small firms can win through specialization and speed on technology 14:25 - What Rebekah would tell a CPA firm owner who is 5 to 10 years from an exit 15:17 - Why a 5 to 10 year plan has to be iterative, not static 15:43 - Involving your team in strategy: why it changes buy-in, retention, and execution 16:08 - The Business Learning Institute and working with small to midsize firms on strategy 16:32 - Why the best insight sometimes comes from the person scheduling client appointments 17:53 - Vision casting as a retention tool: why people stay when they know where the firm is going 18:45 - What happens when someone is not bought in: it's okay, not every culture fits every person 18:56 - What Maryland Association of CPAs members are saying about private equity and succession planning 19:25 - The top-level conversation: are we picking the right PE partners? 20:06 - The case for remaining independent and why different firm models are healthy for the profession 20:50 - What non-decision-makers feel about PE: caution, valid concerns, and fear of change 21:17 - Why settling on a PE buyer too soon is one of the biggest risks in a sale process 21:42 - Why every PE firm is different and why comparative analysis matters more than people realize 22:23 - Football story: handing the ball to Troy Smith and getting tackled by Ted Ginn Jr. 25:17 - What the experience after the tackle taught Rebekah about community showing up for people 26:45 - Book recommendation: "The Upside of Stress" by Dr. Kelly McGonigalDownload Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.*Download now and receive:*- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template

In Episode 674 of the New Media Show, Podcast Hall of Fame Host Rob Greenlee welcomes Rox Codes, CEO and co-founder of Flightcast.com.  For a deep conversation about video-first podcasting, YouTube growth, AI-powered analytics, creator tools, and where podcast publishing is heading next. Rox Codes has spent years building tools for creators, including YouTube optimization, thumbnail and title creation, A/B testing, and creator growth systems. Flightcast was co-founded with Steven Bartlett of The Diary of a CEO. Rox is building a platform centered on a core shift in the market: serious shows are no longer just audio-first with a bonus video version. Many of the fastest-moving creators now think about YouTube first, then audio, clips, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, newsletters, social platforms, and every other surface where the audience may discover the show. Has video-first podcasting fully arrived, and is it now equal to audio, or is it becoming even more important for growth? Rox explains that Flightcast came from a very different starting point than traditional podcast hosting. Instead of beginning with RSS, downloads, and audio workflow, the platform was built from a YouTube creator mindset.  YouTube has long been the clearest growth platform for creators because it combines publishing, discovery, audience development, monetization, and measurable performance into a single system. Podcasting, by contrast, has often separated those pieces across hosting platforms, apps, ad systems, analytics dashboards, and RSS-based distribution. The episode explores why this matters now. A modern show can become a long-form YouTube episode, an audio podcast, Spotify video, Apple video, short-form clips, newsletter content, social posts, community discussion, and brand inventory. Rox describes podcasts as a powerful format because a single strong two-hour conversation can yield many different media assets across multiple platforms. That creates opportunity, but it also creates complexity. They discuss Apple's HLS video support, Spotify video, YouTube, RSS, 4K video, thumbnails in feeds, Netflix, Roku, FAST channels, Prime Video, and the growing need for creators to publish into more places without needing to understand every technical layer underneath. Rox argues that creators should not have to care about acronyms like HLS, VAST, RSS, or 301 redirects unless the technology directly affects their business. The software should handle the complexity so creators can focus on the show, the audience, and the growth strategy. A major theme of the episode is that video success is not just about uploading an MP4 file. Rox makes a strong case that the real shift is in mindset. On YouTube, titles, thumbnails, intros, pacing, retention, curiosity gaps, promise, progress, payoff, packaging, and audience behavior all matter. Podcasting has historically treated episode art and titles as secondary. YouTube treats them as the front door to the content. Rob and Rox spend significant time on thumbnails and titles, including why creators need to understand the psychology behind a click without reducing the work to empty clickbait. Rox explains that a thumbnail should create a question the viewer wants answered, while the episode itself must deliver enough value to earn attention and retention. The best creators do not copy blindly. They study what works, understand why it works, and apply that structure in their own voice, to their audience, and through their creative point of view. The conversation also moves into AI. Rox does not describe Flightcast as an AI-first platform, but AI is an important layer inside the system. He sees major value in AI analytics, back-catalog analysis, clip testing, title suggestions, descriptions, chapters, transcripts, and pattern recognition. His larger ambition is to bake more of the YouTube strategist and producer mindset directly into the software so creators can see what is working, what is not working, and where new growth opportunities may exist. Rob and Rox also discuss monetization. As video moves deeper into podcast platforms, host-read ads, dynamic ad insertion, video ad formats, brand partnerships, affiliate models, and creator-controlled advertising may begin to converge. Rox explains Flightcast's ability to support programmatic, dynamic sponsorships and bring-your-own-programmatic monetization, while keeping the platform focused on growth and creator support rather than solely on ad sales. The episode closes with a look at the future of podcast hosting itself. Rox argues that basic hosting has become a commodity. The next layer is growth, analytics, experimentation, distribution, monetization support, and creator intelligence. In a world where AI can make software easier to build and copy, the real advantage may come from insight, speed, taste, data interpretation, and the ability to help serious creators make better decisions faster. For creators, publishers, networks, and podcast platforms, Episode 674 is a clear look at the next stage of podcasting: video-first, data-aware, AI-supported, YouTube-influenced, and increasingly built around shows that can travel everywhere. Chapter Topic Time Stamp Markers: 00:00 Welcome to The New Media Show Episode 674 00:19 Has video-first podcasting arrived? 01:21 Introducing Rox Codes and Flightcast 02:32 Building tools for YouTubers before podcasting 03:18 Why podcast hosting needed a YouTube-first mindset 04:13 Building the Flightcast playbook around video-first shows 05:31 Bringing the Diary of a CEO playbook into software 06:54 Can a platform support data-driven production? 08:27 AI, automation, and the future of show creation 09:13 LLMs and AI tools in creator workflows 10:23 AI as a podcast data consultant 11:19 Publishing, analytics, and experimentation 13:41 Could Flightcast become a creator operating system? 14:17 Podcasts as long-form source material for every platform 16:39 Is YouTube success the strongest growth signal? 17:19 Growth, retention, and why YouTube has the advantage 19:44 Going from YouTube to audio vs audio to video 20:49 Who Flightcast is built for 21:28 Apple HLS, Spotify video, and platform complexity 22:21 Can Apple or Spotify compete with YouTube video? 23:43 Video as human connection 24:24 Apple Podcasts video and the return of native video distribution 25:51 Netflix, podcasts, and low-cost creator TV 27:22 Why creator video can work across phone, laptop, car, and TV 28:20 Apple TV, 4K, and the quality question 29:16 Why creators should not need to understand HLS or RSS 31:55 The podcast industry still has too much technical friction 33:46 Alternate enclosure, iHeart, HLS, and RSS thumbnails 34:27 Why episode artwork and thumbnails now matter more 35:10 The thumbnail and title are the packaging 37:14 AI thumbnail scoring and creative judgment 38:08 Thumbnail psychology and curiosity gaps 38:52 Retention editing, strong intros, and promise-progress-payoff 40:10 Why better videos can multiply results 41:19 The real workload behind YouTube-quality video 42:37 Legacy media skills vs YouTube creator skills 44:50 Faster testing cycles changed creator media 45:32 Why video can be ten times harder when done right 45:53 How AI can bake strategy into software 47:00 Where Flightcast differs from early-stage creator tools 47:32 YouTube algorithm changes and podcaster anxiety 49:19 HLS, video ads, and creator-controlled ad insertion 50:22 Dynamic ads across YouTube and podcast platforms 51:33 Platform trust and monetization value 52:01 YouTube brand connections and affiliate models 53:18 Right brand, right creator, right price 54:35 360 campaigns, affiliates, and creator investments 57:17 Organic product mentions and brand relationships 58:14 What podcast hosting becomes next 58:46 Hosting as a commodity and growth as the real business 59:37 APIs, AI coding, and software moats 1:00:30 Where is the moat in creator software? 1:01:07 Staying ahead through insight and experimentation 1:03:32 Advanced analytics as the future advantage 1:04:41 Every creator has a different data pattern 1:05:14 MrBeastification, AI, and creator sameness 1:06:10 Outlier analysis and creative inspiration 1:07:15 Why outlier theory works when used correctly 1:08:44 Packaging the topic before recording 1:09:32 Does this conflict with podcasting culture? 1:11:01 Why data-driven formats do not have to kill creativity 1:12:23 Ryan Trahan and creative twists on proven formats 1:14:17 Packaging as the price of audience attention 1:15:04 Craft, creativity, and changing the playbook 1:16:51 Podcasting's radio roots and YouTube's different rules 1:17:27 Flightcast demo: stop guessing what content works 1:18:00 Publishing video everywhere with unified analytics 1:18:51 Measurement standards and the 30-second vs 60-second debate 1:20:21 AI analytics, clips, and test channels 1:21:35 YouTube API limits and thumbnail A/B testing 1:22:51 Flightcast monetization and bring-your-own programmatic 1:23:55 Transcripts, AI titles, descriptions, and chapters 1:24:21 Flightcast pricing and plans 1:25:41 HLS across all plans and video storage differences 1:26:32 Future pricing credits for more clips 1:26:48 Closing thoughts and where to find the episode Guest Links: Rox Codes, CEO and Co-Founder, Flightcast Flightcast: https://flightcast.com Rox Codes Website: https://roxcodes.com Rox Codes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxcodes Rox Codes on X: https://x.com/RoxCodes Rox Codes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChg53qPBdY1FF8gjOlB9zkg Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links Rob Greenlee Website: https://robgreenlee.com New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com New Media Show Audio on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649 New Media Show on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow Rob Greenlee on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Personal / AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest's. This article reflects my editorial direction and the substance of the conversation.The post Video-First Podcasting Has Arrived | Rox Codes, Flightcast #674 first appeared on New Media Show.

"Don't hire someone just to fill a position. Hire the right person for the long haul." Episode Chapters [00:01:35] Looking Beyond Retention Rates [00:03:02] Why Great Employees Always Have Options [00:07:59] How Disney Measured Turnover and Retention [00:10:42] The Real Reason Employees Leave [00:12:35] Using Data to Improve Hiring and Leadership Low turnover doesn't always mean your organization is healthy. In this episode, Lee Cockerell shares the difference between retaining employees and retaining the right employees. Great people have choices and poor leadership is often what drives turnover. When you take the time to understand who leaves and why, it can strengthen your culture, improve hiring, and build a stronger organization. Read my blog for more from this episode. Resources CockerellStore.com The Cockerell Academy About Lee Cockerell Mainstreet Leader Jody Maberry Travel Guidance Magical Vacation Planners are my preferred travel advisors. Reach out to have them help plan your next vacation. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

Your 401k isn't just a benefit. It's a message to your workforce. In this episode, Kimberly Prescott sits down with Mike Camerata, Partner at Tai Creek Financial Group, to break down how employers can use 401k plans as a strategic retention tool. They cover the biggest misconceptions about cost and complexity, the plan design features that drive real participation (auto-enrollment, auto-increase, and matching formulas), and why safe harbor plans are the go-to for most small businesses. Mike also explains the key differences between Maryland Saves and a customized 401k, and why communication is just as important as the plan itself. We discuss these topics…and of course, we talk about cocktails, including a Sazerac, the official drink of New Orleans!Hosted by Kimberly Prescott, Founder and President of Prescott HRGuest: Mike Camerata, Partner at Tai Creek Financial Group

An expository sermon from 2 Peter 1:14-15. 

You can care deeply about your team and still be missing the structure that helps them stay.That is the part a lot of salon/shop owners feel, but do not always know how to fix.In this episode, Eva DuPont, Director of Business Development at Infiniti HR, breaks down why building a team that stays is not just about hiring good people, it is about creating clarity around expectations, compensation, benefits, HR, payroll, compliance, and growth. She explains how small gaps in structure can turn into bigger problems over time, and how salon owners can start building a more professional, protected, and supportive business from the inside.

Dr. Vishal Sharma, VP of Clinical Education & Operations at Spear Education shares his thoughts on: DSOs failing at clinical education Education as a performance & retention lever $3,500 per day associate production To learn more about Spear Education visit: https://www.speareducation.com/ You can also contact Dr. Sharma via email: vsharma@speareducation.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-vishal-sharma-78527543/  

Get AudioBooks for Free Best Self-improvement Motivation Boost Reading Comprehension & Retention | Kwik Episode 28 Discover Jim Kwik's proven strategies to improve reading comprehension, retain more information, enhance focus, and accelerate learning success. ⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 Audiobooks Free -

Looking for retention strategies for your clients? We've got just the expert. This week, we're joined by Julie Frost-Acarregui as she walks us through her valuable experience in running a successful aesthetics practice. Listen in as she discusses a wide range of topics, including building a brand, establishing atmosphere, expanding your business, and clarifying client expectations. Each Thursday, join Dr. Raja and Dr. Hadar, board-certified dermatologists, as they share the latest evidence-based research in integrative dermatology. For access to CE/CME courses, become a member at LearnSkin.com. Julie Frost is a nationally renowned Aesthetic Cosmetic Specialist, the #1 Sculptra injector in Idaho, and the visionary Founder and Medical Director of PURE Medical Spa and PURE Vitality & Wellness. Under her leadership, the PURE brand has expanded to three premier locations across Idaho: Boise, Sun Valley, and Coeur d'Alene, establishing a statewide standard for clinical excellence, hormonal health, and holistic transformation.   With a career rooted in high-acuity medical care as a Board-Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist since 1996, Julie combines clinical mastery with a sophisticated artistic eye. A proud U.S. Army veteran who served 10 years on active duty, she brings a disciplined commitment to safety and meticulous detail that defines the PURE experience.   A cornerstone of Julie's professional mission is the value of continuous growth. As a prestigious Galderma GAIN Business Educator, a member of the elite GEN NOW faculty, and a Key Opinion Leader (KOL) for many of the industry's leading vendors, she is a "trainer of trainers" who influences the future of aesthetic medicine. Julie travels nationwide to mentor her peers, teaching practitioners how to move beyond transactional sales to become trusted aesthetic advisors. Further distinguishing her as a leader in the field, Julie educates on the pillars of operational success, entrepreneurship, and scaling businesses. She provides a roadmap for sustainable growth, sharing her expertise on building high-performing teams and establishing the systems required to scale a multi-location brand without compromising the guest experience. By bridging the gap between clinical excellence and business strategy, Julie is dedicated to elevating the professional standards of the entire aesthetic industry.   Despite her national influence, Julie's heart remains in Idaho. She is the proud mother of three sons and finds her own "renaissance of self" in the outdoors with her husband, Steve. Whether she is fly-fishing, white-water rafting, camping, golfing, or skiing, Julie embodies the vibrant, healthy lifestyle she helps her clients and students achieve.

Cathy Susie is the Vice-President of HR for U.S. Business, and Kayla Brown is the HR Business Partner for Schneider Electric. 

Support the show and get more from Analytics United: https://www.patreon.com/AnalyticsUnited Cal & Darcy break down the lessons West Ham can learn from analysing last season's relegated sides, Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton, and how they attempted to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. They discuss how West Ham compares to the state each club was in before last season, how the transfer business they did succeeded and failed, how they performed on the pitch against more tenured Championship sides and much more. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (04:38) What lessons West Ham can take from Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton (06:41) What state were the relegated sides in before the season started? (12:12) Are West Ham in a better or worse starting position comparatively? (17:31) What went wrong with Leicester's transfers last summer? (23:18) How West Ham can avoid the same fate as Leicester (27:33) Southampton's sensible and balanced rebuild worked (32:20) Retention and consistency is key to transition successfully (37:39) The importance of experience in squad building (38:29) Avoid selling players unnecessarily (41:41) How Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton performed last season (42:44) How Analytics United calculates squad strength (43:51) Where Leicester's squad fell short compared to Southampton & Ipswich (47:29) West Ham need to create more chances this season (51:21) Nuno will have to balance attack and defence (56:01) West Ham should keep Mads Hermansen Please do leave us a review and subscribe to the podcast to catch every episode. You can follow the pod (and our other work) on Twitter: Main: @AnalyticsUtd_ Jack: @jackelderton Cal: @WHU_Analytic Darcy: @futpysche Charlie: @ATopLad Theme music: "Emotional Chill Electronic Vlog Music | Sunset" by Alex-Productions (https://onsound.eu/) Promoted by: https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years, the marketer's job ended when the campaign shipped. Hit send, check the numbers, measure growth, repeat. That model is changing, and what replaces it is agentic orchestration, where the system and the journey around a message matter more than a single send. Recorded live at K:LDN 2026, this conversation pairs the person building the AI with an operator running it at real scale. Gilbert Hsu, who leads Marketing AI at Klaviyo, sits down with Alon Turchin, VP of Retention at Particle, a US-manufactured DTC self-care brand for men with a marketing team based in Israel. That kind of scale brings real complexity, and this is where Composer by Klaviyo brings solutions at scale. Alon describes it today as the brain and the eyes, the thing that finds and frames problems he might not catch manually. His wish list is for it to become the hands too, trusted to edit filters, rules, and content, a trust he says has to be earned through testing first. Closing advice for teams earlier in their journey: know your audience before you trust anyone's benchmarks, remember that selling is mostly psychological, and test your way to what actually works rather than assuming you already know. What you'll learn How Particle scaled from one million to ten million monthly sends in weeks, not months, while doubling revenue Why "the campaign is not the product, the system is" changes what a marketing team actually optimizes for How Particle segments customers and non-customers by urgency and lifecycle stage across 150-plus flows and 100-plus forms Where Composer fits today (the brain and the eyes) and what Alon wants it to become next (the hands) Why rigorous A/B testing is the gate that lets Alon hand more decisions to AI Alon's advice for marketers earlier in their own orchestration journey Key takeaways Alon's operating principle: the campaign is not the product, the system is, meaning the journey around a message matters more than the message itself. Particle scaled from one million to ten million sends a month in a matter of weeks, not months or a year of slow warmup, while revenue doubled, run across more than 150 active flows and 100-plus forms. Segmentation isn't just more lists, it's urgency based. Recent sign-ups get reached while the brand is still top of mind. Older, colder contacts get reintroduced rather than ignored. Composer today functions as the brain and the eyes, surfacing problems and opportunities Alon might miss manually. His wish list is for it to become the hands, trusted to edit filters, rules, and content, once testing earns that trust. Alon's closing advice: don't assume you know your audience or trust someone else's benchmark. Selling is mostly psychological, so test relentlessly until you find what actually works for your own customers. Chapters 0:00 Cold open and introductions 1:38 Meet Particle, and how the marketing job has changed 2:48 The campaign is not the product, the system is 3:30 From engagement to behavior-based segmentation 4:49 Why sending more, to the right tiers, doubled revenue 7:12 Managing 150-plus flows without losing control 7:55 Composer as the brain and eyes, and the wishlist for the hands 10:43 Keeping the brand's soul with a human in the loop 11:55 Advice for teams earlier in the journey In-Show Mentions: Learn more about Klaviyo's Composer Associated Links: Check out Future Commerce on YouTube Check out Future Commerce Plus for exclusive content and save on merch and print Subscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce world Listen to our other episodes of Future Commerce Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, and AutelWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode, Matt digs into a question that sits underneath a lot of shop economics, technician frustration, and industry culture: who should be responsible for buying the tools and equipment required to do the work a shop advertises?The discussion starts with a real-world example involving a dealership service department that did not have a connector depinning tool available, leaving a mechanical or technical specialist considering buying the tool personally. From there, Matt explores where the line should be drawn between personal hand tools and shop-owned equipment.Basic hand tools may be one thing. But scan tools, diagnostic equipment, specialty service tools, alignment systems, AC machines, tire equipment, connector service kits, and timing tools raise a different question entirely. If a shop sells those capabilities to customers, should the employee have to make the investment?Matt also looks at the long-term consequences of pushing too much cost onto specialists. If a specialist builds up enough personal tooling and equipment to perform a broad range of services, the industry may be quietly encouraging them to leave employment and open their own shop. That may work for some, but it also shrinks the talent pool, increases turnover risk, and may contribute to people leaving the industry altogether.The episode closes with a shift into diagnostic tool history, including a short “Mount Rushmore” of influential tools and equipment: the SCA, the Edge/Sun systems, the Fluke 87, and the Snap-on Vantage.Watch Reel VideoKey TopicsWhere the line falls between personal tools and shop-owned equipmentWhy “the specialist can just buy it” may be an unstable business strategyThe difference between basic hand tools and equipment required to sell a serviceHow tool investment affects technician income, risk, and career decisionsWhy shops should think about replacement cost when evaluating pay and retentionHow industry culture can unintentionally make shop ownership look like the only real path upwardThe difference between a tool investment working out and it actually being a good decisionVintage diagnostic equipment that changed how specialists workedNotable IdeasA shop advertising a capability should be equipped to perform that capability. If a shop sells alignments, AC service, tire work, connector repair, diagnostics, or programming, it becomes hard to justify the employee carrying the primary equipment burden.There may be some economic logic to a specialist buying a tool when they are guaranteed the work and the tool pays for itself. But that logic becomes unstable when the employee is taking the risk while the business is selling the service.Tool ownership can become a shadow path to business ownership. When specialists personally acquire enough tools and equipment to operate independently, the industry may be unintentionally training them to leave.Retention math has to include replacement cost. Production numbers matter, but so does the cost of losing a capable person, leaving a bay or role vacant, recruiting someone new, training them, and risking a revolving-door reputation.A tool purchase can “work out” without having been the smartest move. Matt reflects on his own history of buying diagnostic equipment and scan tools, noting that it helped build capability and reputation, but that does not automatically mean it was the best financial decision.Listener QuestionWhat tools or equipment have you been expected to buy personally?Where do you think the line should be between employee responsibility and shop responsibility?Should mechanical and technical specialists be expected to own anything beyond basic hand tools, or should the shop provide everything needed to perform the services it sells?Mentioned Diagnostic EquipmentSCA diagnostic equipmentSun/Edge PC-based engine analyzer systemsFluke 87 digital multimeterSnap-on VantageSnap-on Vantage ProOTC PerceptionSun engine analyzersFour-gas and five-gas analyzersPull Quotes“What's the logic of owning a business that advertises certain capabilities, but the shop itself is ill-equipped to be able to do that?”“If part of my purpose is to take care of my people, then one feature of that is to try to maximize their take-home pay and minimize their financial responsibilities to do the jobs they were hired to do.”“It may have worked out. I don't know if that means it was a good move.”Thanks to our Partner, Pico TechnologyAre you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.comThanks to our Partner, AutelFrom drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.comContact InformationEmail Matt: mattfanslowpodcast@gmail.comDiagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube ChannelThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

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Are you a pest control owner looking to grow? Join Our Facebook Group with 4,300+ Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pestcontrolmillionairesBrandon Sizemore, based in Phoenix, AZ, US, is a Co-Founder and President at Mint Pest Control: https://mintpest.com/Jonas's Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonasaolson/?hl=esFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonas.olson.18/Check out Jonas's Book ‘'Zip Code Kings'': https://pestcontrolmillionaires.com/zip-code-kings/The Pest Control Millionaire Podcast is all about helping small business owners scale their lawn and pest companies by talking to experts in the service industry.For business coaching and mentorship, visit: pestcontrolmillionaires.com Produced by Sofia Salaverri and Dalton Fisher, Fisher Multimedia LLCFisherMultiMedia.comChapters:00:00 – Meet Brandon Sizemore, Founder of Mint Pest Control02:00 – Growing Up Through Financial Hardship & Family Challenges08:45 – Mission Work in Michigan & Lessons That Shaped His Life16:30 – From Door-to-Door Sales to a Big Four Accounting Career22:45 – Why Brandon Left Deloitte to Become an Entrepreneur27:00 – Launching Mint Pest Control During COVID-1933:00 – Learning Door-to-Door Sales From Scratch39:00 – Scaling a Multi-Location Pest Control Company43:30 – The Secret to Creating an Unforgettable Customer Experience50:45 – Retention, Leadership & Building a Strong Company Culture57:15 – The Financial Strategy Behind Growing a Pest Control Business1:00:00 – Why Mint Pest Control Stands Out & Final Advice#pestcontrolmarketing #pestcontrolbusiness #pestcontrolleads #pestcontrolowner #pestcontrolpodcast #jonasolson

Most grid modernization discussions focus on hardware. Texture is building the operating system that connects utilities' fragmented software, meter data, DERs, and workflows into a single system of action.Guest Bio: Sanjiv Sanghavi is co-founder and CEO of Texture. Before founding Texture, he co-founded ClassPass, worked at Arcadia, and spent time in energy venture capital.Company Summary: 'Texture provides an operating system for utilities, co-ops, and energy companies. Its platform integrates data from disconnected systems and turns it into workflows for demand response, outage management, engineering, customer service, and distributed energy resource programs.What we discussed:The underserved market opportunity among 2,900 municipal utilities and co-ops that often cannot justify the cost and complexity of traditional DERMS platforms.How Texture reduced sales cycles from nine months to three months by shifting from feature demos to consultative problem-solving conversations with customers.The business model behind 190%+ net revenue retention, $1-per-meter pricing, and rapid customer expansion driven by measurable operational payback.Sanjiv's entrepreneurial lessons from building ClassPass, entering industries where he lacked domain expertise, and why he believes careers accelerate when people pursue challenges they're not yet qualified to solve.--1️⃣ Join our confidential CEO community.Private CEO group for VC/PE-backed climate tech founders navigating capital, strategy, and scale. Capped at 45 CEOs. → entrepreneursforimpact.com2️⃣ Join 40,000 professionals who get our newsletter.Climate tech finance, strategy, leadership. 2-min read. → entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com3️⃣ Leave a podcast review.If you got value, take 30 seconds and do the community a favor. It helps push more capital and talent toward scalable climate solutions.

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Most founders treat product-market fit like a feeling. Mark Roberge thinks that's as absurd as calling profit a feeling.The founding CRO of HubSpot, Harvard Business School lecturer, and Stage 2 Capital co-founder joins Josh to break down his new book, The Science of Scaling. The argument at the center of it - the decision of when and how fast to scale shouldn't be a gut call. It should be gated on retention.Mark shares the leading indicator of retention (the one metric that predicts churn in a customer's first month), the 5-50-500 playbook a Microsoft leader used to launch new products, why Drift's founder flew across the country to onboard $50/month customers, and what "AI-native sales team" should actually mean in 2026 (with numbers attached).If you work in Customer Success, this episode makes the case that you own the most strategic metric in the company. All proceeds from Mark's book go to McLean Hospital for mental health care.---Want the playbook, not just the conversation? Subscribe for deep-dive, actionable breakdowns from every episode at unchurned.substack.com.---What You'll Learn- Why we scale haphazardly, not scientifically- A quantitative definition of product-market fit - How to design a leading indicator of retention- Real LIR examples from Slack, Harvey, Facebook, and Gainsight - The three maturity levels of an LIR- How a Microsoft leader used the 5-50-500 rep model to de-risk new product launches- How to pick your threshold based on the blitzscale risk in your category- Why product-market fit and go-to-market fit must be sequenced, not pursued at once- How to know when to move past founder-led sales - How to bring unit economics into board meetings - Why blitzscaling fails more companies than it saves (and why VCs push it anyway)- The two metrics that define an AI-native sales team in 2026- Mark's four phases of the AI revolution in go-to-market ---Timestamps0:00 - Preview & Intro1:30 - Meet Mark Roberge3:07 - The Science of Scaling (All book proceeds go to McLean Hospital)7:30 - We scale haphazardly, not scientifically9:06 - Microsoft's 5-50-500 playbook13:19 - Is product-market fit a feeling?15:48 - The leading indicator of retention, explained17:30 - Time to value vs. recurring value19:42 - Designing your own LIR24:04 - Why go-to-market fit comes after PMF26:06 - Pitching this framework to VCs28:15 - How to know when you have go-to-market fit31:15 - Bringing the science to larger companies33:00 - When to move beyond founder-led sales35:51 - AI and the four phases of the GTM revolution37:20 - What "AI-native sales team" means in 2026---Josh is writing a book on building customer relationships. Follow his journey and insights at www.joshschachter.com---Where to Find the GuestMark Roberge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/The Science of Scaling: https://a.co/d/0boDpDUcStage 2 Capital: https://www.stage2.capital/---Where to Find the Host: Josh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschachter/Unchurned Substack: https://unchurned.substack.com/

In the first episode of the Summer School series, Phil challenges professionals to adopt the mindset that separates top performers from the rest: thinking like a CEO. Regardless of your title, you're running a business within a business, and success depends on leading it with intention. In this episode, Phil outlines seven essential questions every advisor, entrepreneur, and business leader should answer to define their mission, identify their ideal clients, market their value, and build a sustainable business that creates lasting impact. If you're ready to stop drifting and start designing the future of your practice, class is officially in session. Resources: Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com Please send First Friday Feedback Submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com   Transcription: Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I'm Phil Buchanan, Executive Chairman of Canon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push, and motivational insight to live your best life. Thanks for joining. Good Monday morning, Canada Nation. It is Phil here with episode 755 of Monday Morning Mojo. Throughout the month of July, we're headed back to school. Not the kind of school with desk, textbooks, and final exams. We're talking about the kind of learning that can transform careers, elevate businesses, and ultimately change lives. I'm calling this the Monday Morning Mojo Summer School. And each week in the month of July, we're going to tackle a different lesson that every exceptional business leader, be them a wealth management professional or entrepreneur, should master. Today's lesson is simple, but it may be the most important one of the entire series. You are the CEO of your business. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Phil, I'm not a CEO. I work for a bank. I work for a trust company. I'm part of a family office. I manage advisory relationships. I counsel clients. Now, all of that is true. But regardless of your title, every one of us operates a business within a business. Now, the elite professionals understand this. The average professionals ignore it. Elite performers think like owners, and owners think like CEOs. So let's head into today's summer school lesson. CEOs are responsible for the business thesis. Now, every successful company begins with a simple question. Why does this business exist? That's the business thesis. What problems are we solving? Who are we serving? Why should someone choose us? Look at any great company and you'll find a very clear thesis behind it. The same should be true for you. If I ask you right now, what is your professional business thesis? Could you answer in a simple one-sentence explanation? Not your firm's mission statement, not a generic value proposition, your thesis. For example, I help closely help business owners transition wealth and leadership successfully across generations. Or I help affluent families reduce complexity and increase confidence in every aspect of their financial lives. That is a thesis. Now, many professionals spend years working hard without ever defining exactly what business they're in. CEOs can't and don't make that mistake. Before they build a company, they define the mission. Before you build your business, you should define yours. Lesson 2, what type of business will you build? Once you've established your thesis, the next question is simple. What type of business are you trying to create? Now, many professionals drift throughout their careers, accepting whatever opportunities arrive. CEOs intentionally do not drift. They design. Do you want a highly specialized advisory practice? Do you want a multi-generational family office business? Do you want to become the leading advisors to entrepreneurs in your market? Do you want a smaller number of relationships or a larger number of smaller relationships? There is no right answer. That's the beauty of this business. But the value is in your clarity. The future you're building today is being shaped by the decisions you're making right now. Every client you accept, every niche you pursue, every referral source you cultivate, every hour you spend, all of it is either helping build your intended business or helping build someone else's vision. CEOs don't leave that to chance. Neither should you. Lesson 3, who are your target clients? One of the greatest mistakes professionals in any business makes is trying to serve everyone. When you try to be relevant to everyone, you become memorable to no one. The most successful businesses in the world know exactly who they serve. You should too. Who is your ideal client? What is the type of client that has issues and has challenges in their lives that cause them to search for someone with your expertise? What opportunities excite your ideal client? What obstacles frustrate them? What stages of life are they navigating? What decisions are weighing on them? The more clearly you define your audience, the easier it becomes to create value. The advisor who specializes in business owners thinks differently than the advisor who specializes in retirees. The family office professional serving ultra-high-net-worth families faces different challenges than the private banker focused on emerging wealth. Specificity creates relevance. Relevance creates trust. Trust creates multiple opportunities. Lesson #4, what services do your ideal clients need? Now here's a critical distinction. Don't, and I mean never, start with your services. Start with your clients. Too many professionals lead with what they want to sell. CEOs focus on what clients need to buy. What keeps your ideal clients awake at 2 A.m.? Is it succession planning, asset protection? tax complexity, family dynamics, charitable planning, a business transition, wealth transfer, risk management. Your value grows when you become a solution to meaningful problems. The deeper your understanding of client needs, the more indispensable you become. Remember this, clients don't buy products and services. They are buying outcomes. They are buying confidence. They are buying clarity. They are buying peace of mind. Lesson 5, how will you market your value? To be brutally honest, many talented professionals struggle here. Not because they're incapable. Rather, they've convinced themselves that marketing is someone else's job. CEOs know better. Marketing is not advertising. Marketing is helping people understand the value you create. It's your visibility. It's your reputation. It's your voice. It's your willingness to educate and engage. Today's marketplace rewards expertise that can be found, that can be searched for, that is digital and identifiable. Write articles. Host education events, create content, speak at industry gatherings, build relationships in your community, share your insights generously. When people consistently associate your name with expertise, opportunities begin to find you. Marketing is not about self-promotion, it's about value promotion. Lesson #6, what's your go-to-market strategy? Great ideas are useless without execution. Again, every CEO knows this. That's why they develop a go-to-market strategy. How will opportunities become relationships? How will relationships become clients? How will clients become advocates? What's your process? What referral sources are you cultivating? What centers of influence are important to your growth? How frequently are you engaging your community of practice? How intentional are you being? Growth rarely, if ever, happens, certainly on a sustainable business by simple chance or accident. Great businesses execute a deliberate plan. Great professionals do the same. Lesson #7, how will you service clients once they arrive? Perhaps the greatest CEO lesson of all time. Acquiring clients is important. Keeping clients is essential. What happens after someone chooses to work with you? Do they receive a deliberate onboarding process? Do they communicate proactively? Do you create clear service expectations? Exceptional service creates loyalty. Loyalty creates retention. Retention fosters referrals. And of course, referrals help accelerate growth. And then suddenly, one day, you realize you've built something sustainable instead of something dependent solely upon constant prospecting. The best businesses in the world don't just attract clients. They create advocates. Your practice should do the same. As we wrap up today's summer school lesson, I want to leave you with a challenge this week. Carve out 30 uninterrupted minutes. Grab a notebook, silence your phone, and answer these seven questions. Number one, what is my business thesis? Number 2, what type of business am I building? Number 3, who are my ideal clients? Number 4, what problems do they need solved? Number 5, how will I market my value? Number 6, what is my go-to-market strategy? And #7, what is my client servicing model? Because whether you've realized it or not, you're already the CEO of your own business. The only remaining question is, are you running it intentionally? Ladies and gentlemen, summer school is officially in session, and until next week, class is dismissed. Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute. Executive producer of Monday Morning Mojo is Sarah Jones. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brewer. Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan, reminding you to be a force for good. Have a great week, and thanks for being part of the Mojo community.  

Healthcare Is Dead Last in Recognition Culture. Plus: AI That Predicts Who's About to Quit & What CEOs Are Betting On in 2026July 6th, 2026. Bo, Luke, and ASHHRA Executive Director Jeremy Sadlier are back from the long weekend with a deliberately positive episode — three stories built to give you energy heading into the week.

The boys are back with episode 72, where Rory Flynn and Drew Brucker attempt to discuss AI like serious adults. Yeah, that didn't work. They immediately detour into Figma Config, Waymo trust issues, Invisalign lisp watch, and the quiet horror of paying for AI models that may or may not be getting nerfed behind the curtain.This one gets into the big question creative teams keep circling: is taste still a moat in the AI era? Drew and Rory break down why “taste as a moat” is getting shakier, what types of taste are actually durable, and why timing, novelty, cultural awareness, editorial judgment, brand systems, and compounding context may matter more than ever.They also dig into Claude Fable, government access to stronger AI models, the widening gap between public and private model capability, Figma's new AI workflows, Weavy integration, Adobe Firefly Foundry, Disney's custom AI model deal, and Midjourney's V8.2 preview, texture upgrades, editing roadmap, and secret search tricks.---⏱️ Fast Hour00:00 The boys are back00:11 Rory recaps Figma Config03:13 Rory tries Waymo for the first time08:52 The algorithm ding09:59 Invisalign enters the chat10:41 Claude Fable returns nerfed13:32 AI regulation gets messy18:44 AI tools and IP risk22:33 Taste as a moat gets challenged25:02 Breaking down types of taste27:40 Timing, novelty, and AI trends29:53 Trend cycles hit warp speed31:12 AI slop can damage brands34:45 Vintage aesthetics and timing38:37 Taste needs systems now40:14 Evolving visual taste43:19 South Park and imperfect taste45:55 Figma updates and custom tools52:39 Shaders, motion, and Weavy56:01 Retention beats acquisition01:00:59 Adobe Firefly Foundry01:02:25 Disney enters custom AI models01:03:34 The custom model problem01:07:09 Midjourney preview mode01:08:18 Midjourney V8.2 texture and skin detail01:16:13 Midjourney V9 training and web redesign01:16:43 Midjourney editing roadmap01:21:34 Secret search tip01:23:03 Broken toes and podcast lore01:25:14 Listener shoutouts01:27:13 Subscribe, hype, tell a mechanic#FastHours #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #AICreative #GenerativeAI #AIArt #Midjourney #ClaudeAI #AdobeFirefly #Figma #Weavy #AITools #BrandStrategy #CreativeAI #AIWorkflow

Things Discussed: World Cup: When our nation needed rascally anti-slavery hicks with guns, Michigan provided. When our nation needed factories that could turn out more war machines than the rest of the world combined, Michigan provided. When our nation needs unfathomably pedantic sports lawyers, Mo Thiam returning: HUGE news for Michigan, because they needed a frontcourt. Sam: strategy is a retention domino effect: keeping Boynton helped the keep McKenney, which may have influenced Akeem Miskdeen to stick around, which means holding onto Cadeau, which was a big question for Thiam, and if everyone's here you have a shot to keep Estrella. Sam: needs to be more strategy here. Got to back Mike Boynton, let him sign his staff to long-term contracts so he can attract good people. Craig: Misrepresenting how Dusty left. Not okay with the way his players found out, don't think he left for the same reasons as Beilein, despite the interview, because the context of that interview was the NCAA issues were an aside and the main reason was the Mavs were willing to pour resources into him and it's the friggin' NBA. Seth: don't make the 2024 football mistake again by prioritizing keeping the roster together, because most of them—Cadeau, McKenney, Thiam, Estrella, McCoy, Reed—are only around for one more year. You can give Boynton a chance, but obviously Warde is working the back-channels. Sam: Need to support Boynton without boxing yourself in. Craig: Can't hamstring your current guy with less than full support. Ideally Boynton does a fantastic job, is lining up guys for beyond, wins again, and is Tom Izzo but with championships for 30 years. Craig: Schertz is this year's model. He isn't just the hot name; in Ken Pomeroy's article for VALIANT he showed which coaches were dominating in 2PAD: the top-six teams went Schertz, Schertz, Nate Oats, Dusty May, Dusty May, Dusty May. Dusty got Boynton because he defended the rim. Cason to return? Sam thinks so. Break: Craig thinks Dusty should have exited more gracefully. Seth says if you're getting a divorce because you fell in love with someone else, *how* you tell your wife isn't the reason she's mad at you. Football recruiting: Big deal that they can go into a Buckeye family in Cincinnati and get a cornerback that Ohio State wanted. Scouting report: Monsanna Torbert is FAST. Saban always talked about DBs with basketball skills because they can play the ball. Nickname is "Sookie" (sp? Suki? Sukki? Siucci?). Need to watch the film still—love when we get a kid from Cincy because the competition level is strong and the kids are so well-coached. Height: only 5'11 man in America who's really 5'11. Sam was thinking he'd be Smith Snowden's size. If Ohio State wants you that bad—was trying to get him to not even take a Michigan visit—you're probably something. Comp: DJ Turner II. Good to see how their GM is working with the coaches regarding what level they can recruit. Was an issue last year when they had Coach BJ recruiting linebackers that he didn't have the money for.

Haseeb Jawad, VP and Head of Corporate Development, Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT) The people who leave post-close are usually the ones the deal depended on. Which means the problem starts with how you read culture before LOI and whether financial incentives are the only retention tool you are building with. Haseeb Jawad heads corporate development at Commvault, running a lean team with full accountability from sourcing through integration. He has led two to three acquisitions per year across multiple companies, sat on both sides of a transaction, and serves as his own IMO lead. The signals that tell you a deal will lose people are visible from the first founder conversation, if you know what to look for. What You'll Learn The three signals to read in every founder conversation before LOI How the TRUST framework applies across the full deal lifecycle Why retention runs heart, brain, pocket and what breaks when you invert it How to run employee-by-employee diligence without treating people as a cost line Why owning both deal and integration makes business case assumptions honest What one payroll timing issue did to months of trust-building after close If you're managing a post-close retention risk and financial incentives are the only lever you're pulling, DealPilot, powered by M&A Science, has Buyer-Led M&A™ frameworks to help you build the full retention model. ____________________ This episode of M&A Science is presented by DealRoom. DealRoom is the AI-powered operating system for Buyer-Led M&A™ — one connected system for pipeline, diligence, integration, and reporting. No tool-switching, no manual updates, no data gaps. See how it works: https://hubs.ly/Q04mcGKy0 ____________________ Episode Chapters [00:00] Intro [03:05] Engineer Turned Corp Dev Leader [07:45] How to Pick the Right M&A Deals [10:26] What Most Buyers Miss in Deal Criteria [15:44] Getting Founders to the Table [20:18] AI Washing and Valuation Reality [23:09] The TRUST Framework Explained [26:19] When Leadership Alignment Breaks Down [32:03] 3 Tiers of Culture Diligence Before LOI [35:40] The Retention Framework [38:31] Why Money Alone Won't Keep Your Key Talent [41:13] Structuring Retention Plans by Person [43:02] Why the Deal Team Should Stay [49:32] Making Minority Investments Work [51:57] Preserving Culture After Close [53:02] Early Warning Signs in Diligence [53:37] What Breaks First at High Deal Volume [54:02] Walking Away Post-LOI

In this special Conversations episode of The Publisher Podcast, sponsored by Pugpig, we hear from CEO and founder Jonny Kaldor about the data that proves apps are engagement and retention powerhouses. Pugpig has just released their annual 2026 Media App Report, packed with benchmarks and insights from 140 media brands and 440+ live apps. Jonny looks at some of the publisher app trends from the report, why direct consumer relationships are the highest priority right now, and the deeper levels of engagement shown by app users compared to web visitors. He also explains why apps are now surprisingly being used for subscriber acquisition, not just retention, and how publishers can identify gaps in their conversion strategies using apps.

Send us Fan MailFREE QUIZ! Find where the chaos lives in your business in less than 10 minutes: https://www.karrieoutloud.com/pl/2148786680

Most companies treat employee retention as an HR problem.The data from hundreds of P&Ls says it's a leadership problem and the companies that figure that out first are the ones that consistently outperform.Rohit Bassi, McKinsey veteran, private equity operator, and author of People Priority, introduces a framework that is changing how business leaders think about their most valuable asset. Rohit calls it People Quotient, or PQ. Just as individuals have IQ and EQ, companies have PQ. The ones that measure it, invest in it, and build it deliberately are the ones that win.Rohit and, host, Ashish Kothari unpack why retention is not a metric to hand off to HR, why trust is the single most important element of any organizational design, and why the companies winning with small and medium sized businesses are the ones treating talent operations as a core business function not an afterthought.If you lead a team, run a business, or advise organizations on growth, this conversation will change how you think about your people strategy.What you will learn:How successful companies align leadership, structure, and talent systems to elevate their PQThe three leadership traits, drive, empowerment, and velocity, that fuel high performanceWhy most hiring processes are reactive and how to adopt a disciplined, systematic approachThe importance of trust and conflict management in fostering a high-trust cultureHow to use the “CAST” framework, clarity, accountability, structure, and trust for organizational designEpisode Chapters: 03:46 Rohit introduces the concept of People Quotient and how it was born from analyzing hundreds of P&Ls08:00 The three pillars of PQ: leadership capability, organizational design, and talent operations12:00 Why bad managers, not bad companies, are the primary reason people leave29:08 The real cost of attrition34:54 Retention as a leadership trait: what CEOs get wrong43:45 Talent operations: the three things companies consistently get wrong49:36 Why putting people first works from 3-person startups to 10,000 person organizations52:02 Closing reflections: people are not a support function, they are the strategyResources:Connect with the GuestLinkedIn: Rohit BassiRecommended Reading: People Priority The CEOs Blueprint for Winning Talent AcquisitionConnect with the HostLinkedIn: Ashish KothariWebsite: Happiness SquadBook: Hardwired For HappinessYouTube: Happiness Squad ChannelIf this conversation sparked something for you, please subscribe and leave a review, it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the show.

Transfinder announced its annual Top Transportation Teams award winners, the industry is concerned about autonomous vehicles ignoring school bus stop arms, and two federal grants provide opportunities for school transportation emergency training. Veteran transportation leader Jim Schiffler draws on his personal and family experience in the school bus industry to offer thoughtful advice on building stronger teams and healthier workplace cultures, from company values and unions to recruitment and promotions. He'll share more at STN EXPO West in July. Read more about leadership. Episode sponsors: Transfinder, School Radio.

If you feel like you're constantly in selling mode and still can't figure out why revenue feels inconsistent — this episode is going to hit. I'm talking with Natalie Bernacchi, a Retention and Revenue Strategist with 15+ years of experience scaling companies. She scrapped her own business model, rebuilt it around retention and recurring revenue, and hasn't looked back. Her take? The money is already in your business. You just need the strategy to find it.In this episode we cover:What permanent selling mode actually costs you beyond time and energyThe biggest revenue leak inside female-led businesses (and why most founders miss it)What companies scaling to $50M ARR do to retain customers that solopreneurs almost never replicateThe real difference between a founder with recurring revenue vs. one starting from zero every single monthTake Natalie's free Revenue Leak Finder quiz — a 3-minute tool that shows you exactly where money is walking out the door — at nataliebernacchi.com/revenue-leak-finder. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok @nataliebernacchi, and check out her podcast Light Her Up and community The CEO Besties.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how captive insurance companies and risk retention groups operate, but where does it create the greatest value, and where should human expertise remain firmly in control? In this episode of The Edge of Risk Podcast by IRMI, Joel Appelbaum is joined by Julie Bordo, president and CEO of PCH Mutual Insurance Company, a Vermont-domiciled healthcare risk retention group serving assisted living and personal care homes across the United States. Julie explains how her organization has used AI to improve claims administration, underwriting workflows, legal operations, and member services while maintaining strong governance and regulatory oversight. The conversation explores how a lean captive organization can use AI to automate repetitive work, summarize complex claims files, enhance operational efficiency, and free staff to focus on strategy and risk management rather than administrative tasks. Julie also discusses why AI should be viewed as a collaborative assistant rather than a replacement for human judgment. She shares practical guidance on AI governance, cyber security, prompt validation, and organizational policies, while offering advice for captive owners and risk retention groups looking to adopt AI responsibly. The discussion also provides valuable background on how risk retention groups operate within the captive insurance industry and why their collaborative structure supports innovation and specialized risk management.

What if the patients you're losing every month are costing you more than the ones you're spending thousands trying to attract? In this episode, Jesse flips the script on practice growth, arguing that dental practice patient retention, not marketing, is the real lever most practice owners are ignoring.Jesse introduces the "leaky bucket" problem: new patients pouring in the front door while existing ones quietly slip out the back. He breaks down exactly where those leaks happen, shares a real case study of a Victorian practice that grew from one and a half chairs to well beyond three without spending another dollar on ads, and answers a listener question about fixing white space in the appointment book. If you've ever wondered whether you have a marketing problem or something else entirely, this one's for you.In this Episode:00:02 Jesse opens a brand new series on the patient journey, starting with where things are quietly going wrong before they ever reach your books00:42 Jesse shares the bucket analogy that exposes the real reason your marketing spend isn't translating into a fuller appointment book01:40 The blunt truth about why most practices don't actually need more new patients, and what they need instead02:16 Inside the Victorian practice that went from one and a half chairs filled to expanding well beyond their original three, without spending another dollar on ads03:13 Jesse explains why Disney holds the gold standard for customer experience, and what dental practices can borrow from the happiest place on Earth04:22 The three sneaky leaks draining your patient base that most practice owners never think to look for04:41 Why unmanaged cancellations and no shows could be costing you more than you realise, and the two-part system Jesse recommends to catch them early05:00 The treatment plans sitting untouched in your software right now, and why reaching out isn't about selling05:37 Jesse breaks down the recall system, arguably the most important retention tool in your practice, and why it's so often mismanaged06:47 A listener question about fixing white space in the books, and Jesse's answer might change the order you tackle your growth planLinks & Resources:Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook GroupFollow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedInVisit Savvy Dentist websiteMentioned in this episode:Savvy Dentist Team Training BundleIf your practice can't run without you, it's time for systems - not more theory. That's why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - five powerful, system-driven programs including Front Desk All Stars, the Million Dollar Dentist, Practice Manager Masterclass, Advanced Treatment Coordinator Training, and High-Performance Hygiene. Each course delivers practical, step-by-step systems your team can use every day to build accountability and create a self-managing practice. Save $2,000 for a limited time — visit savvydentist.com/team-training.Team Training Bundle 2025

Most practices focus on winning referrals, but very few think seriously about keeping them. That gap is where long-term growth is either built or lost. Joining us to explore this topic is Dr. Vic Martel, a General Dentist who has supported countless other Doctors to open and run their practices. Listen as we unpack the five pillars together and explore how you can eliminate the hurdles that sometimes keep your strongest referral relationships from becoming truly enduring partnerships, from elevating patient experiences to ensuring every interaction reinforces trust to building intentional, human communication that keeps relationships active rather than passive. We also dig into what it really means to make your best referrers feel valued, why consistent appreciation matters more than ego or self-promotion, and how even subtle gaps in how you present or position yourself can weaken otherwise strong connections. Along the way, we explore the role of education in strengthening referrals, how “hospitality” translates into clinical relationships, and the practical systems that help you sustain consistency over time rather than relying on goodwill alone.Key Points From This Episode:Why retaining referrals is just as important as getting them. Unpacking the non-negotiable need for outstanding patient experiences.A strategy for maintaining personal communication with referrals.How to make your really good referrals feel extra special.Why appreciation is more important than ego. An example of what isn't good enough when it comes to selling yourself. What to educate your referrals on and how to do it. Understanding how to show ‘hospitality' in the context of dentistry. How to appreciate your referrals and show it. Practical tips to keep connections alive. Leveraging systems to create consistency in your referral base.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Dr. Vic Martel Email — martelvic@gmail.com Dr. Vic Martel on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-martel-dmd-fagd-91431922/ Unreasonable Hospitality — https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/ Giftology — https://giftologygroup.com/  Beyond Giftology — https://giftologygroup.com/beyondgiftology/ The Ritz Carlton Effect (The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company) — https://www.amazon.ca/New-Gold-Standard-Leadership-Ritz-Carlton/dp/0071548335 Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.comDr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059

Exercise.com is the all-in-one platform built for gym owners who are done duct-taping software together. One custom-branded platform — your members, your programming, your billing, all in one place. Gym owners like APEC Sports Performance made the switch and went from running three or four tools to running everything in one. If you're ready to own your platform instead of renting it, book a free 20-minute walkthrough at exercise.com/demo. No pitch — just a working session built around your gym. About Business for Unicorns Business for Unicorns helps gym owners and fitness studio operators build profitable, sustainable businesses without burning out. Founded by Mark Fisher and Michael Keeler —who built and sold the $34-million Mark Fisher Fitness —BFU provides coaching, mentorship, courses, and events for gym owners ready to grow revenue, systemize operations, and create more freedom in their lives. To learn more, check out businessforunicorns.com. Get More BFU In Your Life: Claim your FREE copy of Gym Marketing Secrets HERE Follow BFU on Instagram HERE Subscribe to MF's YouTube Channel HERE Ready to Grow Your Gym? If you're a gym owner with 30+ clients looking to add $5k-$10k/month in the next 90 days, book your FREE Brainstorm Call HERE.

Workforce Evolution and the Future of Business. Guest: Gene Marks. Marks expands on the evolution of the modern workforce, focusing on remote work and talent retention strategies. He evaluates the impact of government policies on small firms and discusses how business owners can adapt their operations to meet the changing expectations of employees and consumers in the post-pandemic economy. 121910 SAN PEDRO CA

Story of the Week (DR):JP Morgan's news weekThe Lurid Lawsuit, Salami Scandal and Trash-Can Thief Vexing JPMorgan's PR Department AND Meme of 'JPMorgan's HR Department in 2026' Has People in Stitches Amid Sex Scandal and Knicks Bin IncidentShe Stole a Knicks Trash Can Off the Street and Lost Her Job at JPMorganThe Trash Bin That Cost Her Career: Who Is Angie Báez? JPMorgan DEI Executive Fired After Viral Knicks Parade VideoThe Trash-Can Thief: Angie Báez, an Executive Director of Community and Industry Engagement at the bank, was captured on a viral video during the New York Knicks championship parade emptying a public trash bin onto a Manhattan sidewalk so she could steal the limited-edition, blue-and-orange Knicks-themed container.The Resolution: JPMorgan quickly terminated her employment after the video went viral. Báez eventually returned the trash bin and was issued $175 in sanitation fines.But what kinds of thing DON'T get you fired and get you fined?In 2023, JPMorgan Chase agreed to a $290 million (1,657,143x) settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. The bank was accused of actively ignoring glaring red flags and helping bankroll Epstein's sex-trafficking operation for 15 years.Internal documents and later congressional probes revealed that the bank processed roughly 4,700 suspicious transactions totaling $1.1 billion for Epstein. They failed to file a single Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) until after his death.Who Kept Their Job? Mary Erdoes: The Head of Asset & Wealth Management was fully aware of Epstein's status as a high-risk sex offender, reviewed his account, and was directly implicated in internal communications regarding his status. She faced zero professional demotions and remains one of the top candidates to eventually succeed Jamie Dimon as CEO.In 2020, JPMorgan Chase entered a deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay a record $920 million (5,257,143x) to settle federal charges of market manipulation.For nearly a decade, traders on JPMorgan's precious metals and U.S. Treasuries desks engaged in "spoofing"—placing tens of thousands of fake, deceptive orders to artificially move market prices and maximize their own profits. The FBI stated that traders "openly disregarded U.S. laws."While a couple of mid-to-high-level traders (like Michael Nowak and Gregg Smith) were later criminally convicted and sentenced to prison, the executive leadership team responsible for supervising them and implementing compliance programs suffered no casualties. Top management stayed perfectly secure, chalking the multi-million dollar fraud up as the work of a few "bad apples."The Salami Scandal: Veteran wealth manager Brent Bodner was fired by JPMorgan in 2024 after he expensed a $642.50 deli platter (containing wings, sandwiches, and salads) for a Super Bowl gathering at his Beverly Hills home. The bank accused him of intentionally misclassifying a personal party as a pre-approved business meeting.Bodner counter-sued, jokingly dubbing the controversy the "salami incident." He argued that the event was a legitimate client-acquisition dinner that only two prospects ended up attending, and that the minor coding error was used as a pretext to push him out.The Resolution: A FINRA arbitration panel sided heavily with Bodner, ruling that JPMorgan acted preemptively out of paranoia that brokers were leaving for rivals. The panel ordered JPMorgan to pay Bodner $4.25 million in damages.The Lurid Lawsuit: Chirayu Rana, a former vice president on JPMorgan's leveraged finance team, leveled highly salacious allegations against his female supervisor, Executive Director Lorna Hajdini. Rana's lawsuit alleges he was subjected to a campaign of racial discrimination, severe harassment, and forced sexual relations under the threat of having his career sabotaged.The Resolution: Rana rejected a $1M settlement offer, countering with a demand for up to $22 million before escalating the fight to court. Both Hajdini and JPMorgan strongly deny the allegations as entirely fabricated, and the legal battle is moving toward a highly publicized trial.JPMorgan Chase promotes Petno, Rohrbaugh to copresidents, setting up two more successors for DimonThe Wait to Replace Jamie Dimon Keeps Getting Longer: Another potential successor, Marianne Lake, is leaving JPMorgan, as the longstanding chief executive enters his third decade atop the bank.How JPMorgan went from 3 female CEO contenders to an all-male succession raceJPMorgan named Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh, current co-heads of the bank's commercial and investment bank, as co-presidents, setting them up as the frontrunners to succeed longtime CEO Jamie Dimon. Their promotions, the bank said in a press release, "are part of the Board's ongoing succession planning process."Petno and Rohrbaugh were among a handful of powerhouse candidates poised to succeed Dimon, including Jennifer Piepszak, chief operating officer, Marianne Lake, CEO of the commercial bank, and Mary Erdoes, CEO of asset and wealth management.Marianne Lake, a Potential Dimon Successor, Leaves JPMorganOne-time Retention and Continuity equity awards to the following Operating Committee members:Doug Petno, Co-President and CEO of the Commercial & Investment Bank, and Troy Rohrbaugh, Co-President and CEO of Consumer & Community Banking, in the amount of $30M each;Mary Erdoes, CEO of Asset & Wealth Management, and Jennifer Piepszak, Chief Operating Officer, in the amount of $20M each.JPMorgan Chase unveils $50 billion buyback, Goldman Sachs raises dividend after Fed stress testA 6 year study shows which CEOs are pushing RTO mandates: The ones with the biggest egosFortune 500 bosses demanding staff return to the office share one trait: narcissism, research findsA six-year study tracking corporate executives revealed that strict return-to-office (RTO) mandates are heavily driven by narcissism and executive ego, rather than actual employee productivityWharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant noted that researchers used reliable corporate proxies to quantify CEO narcissism, including the oversized scale of their compensation packages, the size of their signatures, and the prominence of their photos in company annual reports.The data showed that leaders with highly inflated self-opinions consistently coveted maximum power and status, making them the most aggressive opponents of remote work.Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan pushed hard for a 5-day-a-week return to the office. Why they're now letting employees work from homeGameStop CEO Cohen spurns $35 billion pay plan to focus on plan to buy eBayGameStop CEO on His eBay Pursuit: ‘I'm Not Going to Stop, I'm Not Going to Go Away'GameStop unveiled a compensation package worth roughly $35B for Ryan Cohen ​in January, hinging on a turnaround that requires him to lift the struggling company's market value more than tenfold and sharply boost its profit.In May, Cohen surprised Wall Street with an unsolicited offer to buy eBay for roughly $56 billion in cash and stock to ‌turn the e-commerce company into ⁠a bigger competitor to Amazon.EBay's board rejected the proposal, calling the offer "neither credible nor attractive."Cohen argued that he doesn't want the package ⁠so that GameStop's leadership can fully focus on its operating performance and the planned acquisition.SpaceX handed lowest possible ESG rating by MSCI: Triple C score puts Elon Musk's company on par with Russia after 2022 invasion of UkraineMusk 'most obvious risk' following SpaceX's lowest possible ESG rating“Board of Directors: The SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES board currently has an independent majority, which enables it to more effectively fulfill its critical function of overseeing management on behalf of shareholders. The company has failed to split the roles of CEO and chairman, which may limit the board's independence from current management interests. Split CEO and chairman roles are characteristic of 67% of companies in this market.”Welltower CFO's $167 million pay package sets new recordWelltower's Tim McHugh is the new highest-paid finance chief among the biggest U.S. companies. His $167 million pay package in 2025 not only dwarfs that of his CFO peers but also outpaces the compensation of many CEOs.McHugh's pay at Welltower, a real-estate investment trust focused on rental housing for seniors, surpasses the $139 million compensation package received by Tesla's Vaibhav Taneja in 2024. This puts him more than $135 million above Alphabet's Anat Ashkenazi, the next highest-paid CFO in 2025. And it secures him a spot in the club of executives making $100 million or more, a group that remains rare.Here's what the article DID NOT MENTION: CEO Shankh Mitra: $821MGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Scientists Say New Method Turns Coffee Grounds Into High-Potency Renewable FuelAccording to a press release from South Korea's National Research Council of Science and Technology, a team of researchers at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) have developed a method to convert spent coffee waste into high-quality charcoal, known as biochar.While that's a feat in and of itself, the kicker is the method's blistering speed: it takes just 90 seconds from start to finish, with no drawn-out drying process or oil separation required. According to the release, the new technique solves a major issue in extracting the latent energy potential of spent coffee beans.DR: Bill to raise minimum wage to $25 an hour will be introduced in Senate DR MMThe bill would incrementally increase the minimum wage from its current rate of $7.25, with the first jump to $12 an hour in the first year of enactment. Major corporations would have six years to work up to a $25 minimum wage, while smaller employers would have a 13-year runway. The legislation would also do away with subminimum wages for tipped workers, such as restaurant servers, youth workers and workers with disabilities. Nearly half of the American workforce makes less than $25 an hour.DR: Federal judge blocks new law aimed at ESG, DEI investing decisionsA federal judge has blocked Kansas from enforcing a new law that requires institutional investment advisers to make certain disclosures when recommending against company management on issues, including environmental, social and governance principles.U.S. District Judge Holly Teeter on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of law enacted last session that two major national institutional investment advisers said was unconstitutional because it discriminated based on speech.MM: MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last yearAssholiest of the Week (MM):CEO SPEED ROUND - ONE HEADLINE, ONE CEO, ONE LINERTim Cook - It's pretty sweet to quit your job and let the new guy fight the union: Apple closed America's first unionized store and blocked workers from transfers — now the union is fighting backJamie Dimon - It was easy - we just pointed to the ones with boobs and said “Not you”: How JPMorgan went from 3 female CEO contenders to an all-male succession raceZuck - The best thing about being a little man king with no accountability is I can randomly change and unchange and rechange my mind… about people's lives: Meta pauses an AI training program that tracks employees' keystrokes after an internal leakLarry Fink - Have you SEEN the size of my signature??? Fucking come to work: A 6 year study shows which CEOs are pushing RTO mandates: The ones with the biggest egos“In the six-year study, researchers collected data on Fortune 500 CEOs, using behavioral proxies—signature size, photo size in annual reports, pay gap relative to peers—to construct narcissism scores. The higher the score, the more likely a CEO was to publicly oppose remote and hybrid work and seek additional status (like a board chairmanship). In a separate experiment, CEOs whose egos were primed—by reflecting on the assertive leadership styles of Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison—showed significantly greater opposition to working from home than a control group”Andy Jassy - Now we know EXACTLY when you're wasting our time peeing in a bottle instead of working: Amazon is on a mission to optimize warehouse work. Its latest test puts wearable devices on support staff.Nikesh Arora - If you just said, “Who?”, you better pay attention because I have important things to say: Palo Alto Networks CEO: We're in 'a Darwinian moment' where employees have to prove their AI skills - BRONZE ASSHOLESatya Nadella - If I complain about how everyone TALKS about AI, does that make me sound more sympathetic?: Microsoft's CEO Takes Aim At AI Companies: 'We Have To Walk The Walk' To Convince The Public - GOLDEN ASSHOLEJeff Bezos - I mean, if I'm honest, everyone is terrible and should be laid off: Jeff Bezos Called Washington Post His Worst Investment and Staff He Laid Off ‘Terrible' People - SILVER ASSHOLEBrian Moynihan - I mean, or your kid was late to school because they forgot to make their card for teacher appreciation day, you didn't eat breakfast, and you rushed in to work from the office as fast as you could because working from home isn't allowed anymore: By 7 a.m., Bank of America's CEO has already read 5 newspapers, his email inbox, and hit the gym—he says if you're late to meetings, you're ‘selfish'Dave Ramsey - 0.0001% of Musk's worst day could end hunger ON EARTH, but sure, take away Halloween and pets from the rest of us: Dave Ramsey Says 20% of Americans' Halloween and Pet Budgets Could End Hunger: 'There'd Be No Hungry Kids'Headliniest of the WeekDR: Beloved Grandmother Was Standing in Her Own House When a Tesla, Allegedly on Autopilot, Smashed Through the Wall and Killed Her in Grandchildren's PlayroomA popular password manager was hit by a hack. What you need to know—and how to keep your data safeMM: Ryanair says it will reluctantly not charge parents to sit next to childrenMM: Elon Musk will get a billion shares of SpaceX if he can settle a million humans on MarsJust make it 10 trillion shares if he can safely land Gus who sleeps at the bus station on NeptuneWho Won the Week?DR: The MotherS(C)hIpMM: ESG RatingsPredictionsDR: Symbolically giving up your $35 billion CEO pay package becomes the new $1 salary: proxy statements will say: “Our CEO generously waived his $35 billion pay package as a gesture of sacrifice to lead by example, preserve corporate cash, and show solidarity with displaced workers and stressed stakeholders.”MM: Ryanair announces a new fee children can pay to sit AWAY from their parents

A Note from James:Mark Pincus is one of the true OGs of the internet. You probably know him as the founder of Zynga, the company behind FarmVille, Zynga Poker, and Words With Friends. Zynga was eventually acquired by Take-Two in a transaction valued at approximately $12.7 billion. Before Zynga, Mark started Tribe, one of the first social networks—before MySpace and Facebook. He has spent more than 25 years building, failing, and studying what gets millions of people to click, play, share, and come back. His new book, Life at the Speed of Play, inspired me to start coming up with new business ideas while we were still recording.What I really love is how Mark teaches people to copy like a master without looking like a copycat. He has a framework called “Proven–Better–New.” Start with something that has already been proven. Make it obviously better. Then isolate the new idea you want to test. It's one of the best systems I've heard for creating products people actually want.We talk about the early days of Facebook and MySpace, the failure of Tribe, the gaming industry, consumer psychology, AI coding, and how agents could eventually network and work for us while we're doing something else.I loved talking with Mark. I was still thinking about this conversation afterward—and I'm literally building businesses based on what I learned. His new book is called Life at the Speed of Play. Listen to this episode, and then read the book.Episode Description:Most founders begin with an idea and then spend months—or years—trying to prove that people want it. Mark Pincus thinks that process is backward.At Zynga, Mark's teams built “failure machines”: simple systems that allowed them to test hundreds of concepts before writing the code. They put unfinished ideas in front of real users, watched what people clicked, and refused to build anything until the demand was obvious. The objective wasn't to avoid failure. It was to make failure fast, cheap, and useful.Mark explains the framework behind that process: Proven–Better–New. First, study an existing success down to every screen, click, and design decision. Then identify one improvement that current users would immediately recognize as better. Only after that should a team add the unproven idea—the part most likely to fail.James and Mark also examine the problems facing today's consumer entrepreneurs. AI has made software easier to build, but distribution has become harder. People aren't searching for new apps, established platforms restrict organic growth, and algorithmic reach isn't the same as users actively sharing something with friends.Mark uses the failure of his early social network, Tribe, to explain why virality is not enough. Tribe grew quickly but lacked retention and trust. He ignored the communities users loved because they didn't match the business model he had already chosen. That painful mistake became the foundation for much of his later product philosophy.The conversation ends with Mark's current experiments: personal AI agents modeled after members of his family, a proposed work network built specifically for agents, an enterprise AI company called Hivemind, and the difficult decision to end a four-year passion project without abandoning the instinct behind it.This is a practical conversation about testing ideas, separating instinct from ego, learning from the past, and killing the wrong product before it consumes the right opportunity.What You'll Learn:How to build a failure machine: Test headlines, offers, videos, and fake doors before investing in a finished product.How to apply Proven–Better–New: Begin with a proven behavior, make one unmistakable improvement, and isolate the risky innovation.Why distribution is now harder than development: AI can generate a prototype quickly, but it cannot guarantee attention, trust, or adoption.Why Tribe failed despite rapid growth: Virality without retention, safety, and alignment with user behavior does not create a lasting network.How to copy without becoming a copycat: Study successful products at the pixel level, preserve what works, and innovate only where it matters.When to abandon an idea: Preserve the underlying instinct, but stop funding the particular expression of it when the evidence turns against you.How AI agents may change networking: Agents could eventually search for opportunities, exchange work, build reputations, and bring useful leads back to their users.Timestamped Chapters: [02:00] Finding the “OMFG” Moment [02:58] A Note from James [05:00] Build a Failure Machine Before Building a Product [06:25] Testing Demand With Fake Doors and Broken Links [08:08] Writing Copy That People Actually Notice [10:52] Test More Ideas in a Week Than the Industry Tests in a Year [11:53] Why Neglected Products Become Innovation Labs [13:26] How Mobile Apps Slowed Product Experimentation [15:09] Can AI Bring Rapid Testing Back? [17:08] Why Consumer Technology Feels Uninvestable [18:38] The 90/10 Rule for Investable Platforms [20:08] Why Nobody Downloads New Apps Anymore [21:20] Franchises, “Spicy New,” and Healthy Platforms [23:21] The Internet's Lost Cocktail Party [27:58] Why Tribe Failed While Facebook Won [30:26] Virality Without Trust or Retention [31:31] Ignoring What Tribe's Users Actually Wanted [33:22] Facebook, Raya, and Designing for Trust [35:03] Social Networks as Lead-Generation Engines [37:12] Facebook, Instagram, and the App Nobody Knew It Wanted [37:51] Net Promoter Scores and the Feeling of Quitting a Drug [40:25] Algorithmic Virality vs. People Sharing With Friends [42:00] Building Products That Help People Create [43:47] What Entrepreneurs Should Build With AI [44:54] The Proven–Better–New Framework [47:12] What “Obviously Better” Actually Means [48:25] Why “All New Fails” [50:23] Zynga Poker and the Power of Removing One Click [52:00] What AI Does Well—and Where Humans Still Matter [54:25] Picasso, Slack, and Copying the Past [55:11] Adding Fun to Boring Enterprise Products [57:39] The Moral Arbitrage of Killing Your Ego [57:58] How to Copy Without Looking Like a Copy [59:10] Why Old Internet Mechanics Keep Returning [01:00:16] Anonymous Social Apps With an AI Twist [01:01:17] Don't Invent a New Business—Reinvent a Big One [01:02:00] Test 20 Variants Before Building One [01:02:58] Mark's Frustrating Experiments With AI Coding [01:05:29] Creating a Personal Team of AI Agents [01:07:57] Killing a Four-Year Passion Project [01:09:29] The “Social Membrane” of the Agentic Internet [01:09:57] Building a Work Network for AI Agents [01:12:16] Hivemind and the Human Side of Enterprise AI [01:13:52] Missing Twitch—and Knowing Your Zone [01:15:06] Why the Gaming Industry Still Isn't Social Enough [01:16:30] Chess Ratings, Competition, and Mark's Daughter [01:19:19] Writing Life at the Speed of Play [01:21:18] Don't Chase Every New Technology Race [01:22:05] Final ThoughtsAdditional Resources:Mark Pincus and the BookLife at the Speed of Play — official websiteLife at the Speed of Play — HarperCollins — published June 23, 2026. Mark Pincus on X — the account Mark recommends for updates on his agent-network experiments. Mark Pincus on LinkedIn Mark's interview about open-sourcing Stem Studio Zynga, Games, and Product ExamplesZynga's company history — covers its launch as a Facebook poker project and the development of FarmVille, CityVille, and Words With Friends. Words With Friends FarmVille Take-Two and Zynga acquisition announcement — the transaction carried an enterprise value of approximately $12.7 billion. Tribe.net history — the early social network Mark analyzes as a major product failure. Raya — the private community Mark discusses as an example of building trust through curation. Grow a Garden on Roblox See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I brought back Becky Pierson Davidson to compare notes on where community is headed — and we found a few areas of disagreement. Becky works with 6, 7, and 8-figure businesses helping them build memberships and courses through design thinking and customer research, and she's seeing a major shift right now: course businesses are slowing down, and the smart ones are pivoting to membership models. The difference? Shared learning experiences are replacing self-paced education. Community is what people stay for. We dig into the real mechanics: how to set expectations that don't feel like a bait-and-switch, why meaningful engagement isn't what most people think it is, the mastermind paradox (increases retention, decreases forum activity), and why in-person events might be the most important retention lever you're not using. Becky's hot take for 2026: content drops are dying. People don't need more stuff — they need connection and programming that moves them forward. ⁠Affinity Collective⁠ ⁠Build with Becky podcast⁠ ⁠Episode 197: Building Raving Fans (with Becky & Chanel)⁠ ⁠Circle (community platform)⁠ ⁠TightKnit (Slack archive plugin)⁠ ⁠Dreamers and Doers⁠ ⁠Full transcript and show notes⁠ *** TIMESTAMPS (02:35) Defining community as a product, not a growth engine (04:09) Why community is rising as a business model in 2026 (06:02) The reality of transitioning from courses to memberships (08:01) Finding the right community design for your appetite (10:02) How to avoid the bait-and-switch with member expectations (13:06) Value perception vs. value experience (13:57) The smallest viable promise for your sales page (16:44) Where we disagree: transformation vs. community of practice (21:14) Forum design: why fewer spaces wins (23:17) Solving the engagement problem (what meaningful engagement actually is) (25:50) How the best members actually use your community (29:46) The mastermind paradox: retention up, forum participation down (32:09) In-person experiences and the graduation weekend model (36:39) The economics of offline events (39:35) 2026 Hot Take: Content drops are dying (43:07) Retention rethink: Did I get my money's worth vs. Will I next year? (46:04) Why connection drives retention more than results (48:23) Tool stack: Circle 9 times out of 10 (51:14) The future: personalization in community software *** RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE → ⁠Episode 197: Building Raving Fans⁠ *** ASK CREATOR SCIENCE → ⁠Submit your question here⁠ *** WHEN YOU'RE READY

In this behind-the-scenes BONUS episode, Kelly is pulling back the curtain on exactly what she's building right now, in real time. She walks through the company she's chosen to plant her roots in for the next decade, the brutal pivot that turned out to be the best decision of her career, and the counterintuitive move she's making first as she scales, the one almost no one in online marketing will tell you the truth about. If you've ever wanted to learn the scale process by watching it happen from the inside, this is your seat at the table. What's inside: The two-step vision process every scale starts with Why she's working on retention before pouring in a single new member The shift from selling a product to building a movement What she's deliberately saying no to for the next nine months Resources:  Register for the LIVE Miracle Hour Experience hapening Wednesday, June 24th, from 10am to5pm EST: Kelly's free full-day live training: https://www.themiraclehourbook.com/miracle-hour-june-24-experience-social  Upgrade to VIP for access to our custom sales GPT, lifetime recording access, and bonus Q+A: https://accelerator.virtualbusinessschool.com/vip-upgrade-june-24th  Join us this Summer for The Legacy Leaders Mastermind: Kelly's year-11 mastermind for multi-seven and eight-figure leaders: https://join.thebusinessadvisory.com/2026-rsvp   Subscribe to Kelly's Substack, The Sacred Art of Selling: https://kellyroachofficial.substack.com/subscribe  Join The Virtual Business School: https://www.virtualbusinessschool.com/virtual-business-school  Join us in-person for the Called to Lead Event happening October 1st: https://www.sandiglandt.com/called-to-lead